Page 22 - Masala Lite Issue 176 August 2025

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how hard she has to work chopping onions while you
lazily scroll on your phone. Even if you say you are
not hungry, she will still force you to eat more. This
culminates in her favourite activity which is berating
you for not learning how to cook, forgetting the fact
that she never let anyone enter her kitchen.

2. She always has a tissue or odd item available
when you need.

One tiny sneeze, and your mother is rifling in her purse
An unreformed party girl and mother producing a napkin she most likely stole from the Italian
of two, author, editor and observer restaurant where you had dinner last week. Mirrors,
Sumati Huber tries to toothpicks, straws, snacks—you name it, she has it at How lucky you are to be treating the home she works
make sense of our unique the ready. Bonus is the lecture that follows about how so hard to maintain like a hotel!
Thai-Indian society and the aunties you should always keep these things handy as well. This
that she will one day become. will result in your mom stuffing tissues into your bag 5. She doesn’t allow you to complain.

every time she sees you. Try telling mom you are tired or feeling anxious and
you will hear all about how she lived alone in boarding
CELEBRATING THE INDIAN 3. She makes sure we stay connected. school, took care of 18 kids and ageing elders, while
Is it Auntie Rasmalai’s birthday? Who is Auntie Rasmalai holding down a full-time job. And here you are stressed
MOTHER anyway? It doesn’t matter because your mom will make out about your winged eyeliner being uneven. Not to
sure you send her a message with birthday greetings. say your problems aren’t real, but Indian moms have a
very year on 12 August we celebrate Mother’s Day She is always aware of important milestones celebrated knack for bringing us back down to reality even when
in Thailand. Flower bouquets, brunches and gifts by anyone in the community. Therefore, you must also we don’t know we need it.
are all bestowed on mom to show how much we send your best wishes to people you might not know.
appreciate her, while we ignore everything else, she This helps your mom show off what a good kid you are, 6. She prays for us.

saves for the rest of the year. But luckily, we Indians and also show off what a good mother she is. All those blessings in your life? You better thank mom

have mothers who are not shy about reminding us how for all the puja she does on your behalf! While you are

much they have sacrificed for us since before we were 4. She is your human alarm clock. busy socialising, she spends her free time at the mandir
born. Here are six out of infinite reasons why we should Who needs to set a wake-up call when mom is pushing praying for your marriage, to make her a grandma,

honour Indian mothers every day. the vacuum right against your door at 6AM on Saturday and that you will hopefully learn to cook one day. If
morning? She has lived many lives before your lazy anything goes wrong in your life, she will immediately
1. She reminds us to eat. self emerges from slumber. Even if you wake up at call the pundit to check your horoscope and arrange
Nothing brings more joy to the Indian mother than the ungodly time of 9AM, she will lie and tell you it’s the necessary prayers to remove your obstacles. Thank
obsessively checking to see if we have eaten. If we are already lunch time. She will also point out that Aunty you, mom, for being our everyday miracle-maker! We

hungry, a mother’s life’s purpose is fulfilled by feeding Rasmalai’s daughter wakes up at 5AM every day to will try to remember to be nice tomorrow too, or risk
us, even though she will complain incessantly about study (even though you still don’t know who that is). getting a scolding if we don’t.